Freedom committees call for mother-tongue education in Syria

The Committees for the Defense of Democratic Freedoms and Human Rights in Syria issued a statement today on mother-tongue education and linguistic rights in Syria, calling on the Ministry of Education and local educational authorities to ensure that students who have been educated in Kurdish can continue their studies and to establish clear arrangements that take into account their educational level and the support they need to continue their education without interruption.

The committees stressed that this demand is based on the right to education, equality and non-discrimination, as well as the protection of cultural and linguistic rights. They emphasized the need to respect children’s language and identity and to involve them, in accordance with their age and maturity, in decisions concerning their education.

They noted that Decree No. 13 of 2026 recognized Kurdish as a national language, while amended regulations published on August 28, 2026, allocated three weekly Kurdish-language classes and one class for activities. The regulations also included the language grade in the overall score at covered schools and allowed social studies, history, geography and philosophy to be taught in Arabic or Kurdish during a single transitional year.

The committees called for clarification of arrangements for teaching the remaining subjects and what will be adopted after the transitional period ends, in addition to providing the necessary teachers, textbooks and support measures.

They stressed that teaching Kurdish as a subject differs from using it as a language of instruction for mathematics, science and other subjects.

The committees called for making education in Kurdish and other mother tongues available through multilingual programs that expand according to a publicly announced plan based on students’ needs and their families’ choices, while taking into account the best interests of the child and avoiding the assumption that ethnic identity alone determines the appropriate language of instruction for each student.

As an urgent measure, the committees called for ensuring the continuity of classes and examinations and postponing any change in the language of instruction that could negatively affect students’ academic performance until appropriate transitional arrangements are in place. These arrangements should include educational and linguistic assessments, textbooks, free support classes and teacher training.

They also stressed the need to avoid closing any school for reasons related to language policy without addressing the situation of its students and ensuring the continuation of their education. They called for providing families with genuine educational choices and protecting them from intimidation, exclusion or questioning of their identity because of their choice of language of instruction.

They explained: “As Arabic is the official language, education in Arabic should be of a high standard and take into account the needs of those for whom it is not their mother tongue, while also making it possible to learn other languages alongside the development of mother-tongue education. These language skills help students continue their studies and communicate and work across the country and abroad. The link between education and the labor market should be accompanied by measures to prevent discrimination in employment; the cultural value of a language and people’s right to learn it should not depend on the level of demand for it in the market.”

The committees called on the Ministry of Education to form a joint committee comprising local educational authorities, independent experts, teachers, representatives of families and students, and relevant linguistic communities. The committee would be tasked with preparing proposals and overseeing their implementation, while decisions and the bodies responsible for implementing them should be made public.

The committees called on the ministry to begin urgent protection measures and announce its arrangements within one month, and to publish an initial implementation plan within three months outlining the languages, schools and educational stages covered, available resources, teachers’ and textbook needs, funding sources, responsible bodies and implementation timelines. They also called for additional support for low-income families, displaced people and students with disabilities, so that educational choice does not become available only to those who can afford its costs.

The committees also called for developing curricula and textbooks, training teachers capable of teaching in the languages concerned, and establishing clear standards for recognizing prior education, certificates and teachers’ qualifications, in addition to providing remedial programs for students where educational gaps exist. They also called for protecting schools from partisan propaganda and incitement, and enabling students to learn about one another’s languages and cultures.

They further called for publishing periodic reports on the implementation of the plan, spending, learning outcomes and dropout rates, as well as providing a free and independent complaints mechanism, while protecting students, families and teachers from any retaliatory measures over complaints or opinions.

At the legislative level, the committees called for guaranteeing linguistic rights in the constitution and laws and regulating the use of languages in education and public services.

They stressed that the aim of these demands is to enable students to understand their lessons and continue their education with recognized certificates, while respecting their language and freedom of choice.